Steam-separator.



No. 668,8I8. Patented Feb. 26,* I90L J. J. HOPPES.

STEAM S'EPABATOR.

(Application lod Jin. 12, 1901.)

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UNrrnn STATESv PATENT Ormes.

JOHN J. HOPPES, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

STEAM-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,818, dated February26, 1901.

Application tiled January 12, 1901- erial No.4.-3,081. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. HOPPES, acitizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the conntyof Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Im* provementsin Steam-Separatore,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in steam appliances to separate thewater from steam.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of separatorthat is simple in design and will more perfectly separate the water andoil from the steam. In devices of this kind battle-plates and similarstructures have been used,creating tortuous passage, which not onlycause friction and wiredraw the steam, but also atomize the water ofentrain ment, and th ns increase the saturation.

My object is to secure the highest possible efficiency with the leastpossible obstruction to the ilow of the steam. I attain this object bythe construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fignre 1is a vertical sectional view of a separator embodying my invention andhaving the inlet and outlet at right angles to each other. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section taken at X X in Fig. 1 looking in direction of thearrows; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly broken away and with theinlet and outlet both horizontal.

Like parts are represented by similar let-Y ters of reference in theseveral views.

The main body or outercasing a of the separator is divided in its upperportion by the diaphragm or horizontal partition l) and the verticalpartition cinto two chambers,which I will call the inlet-chamber d andthe outlet-chamber e, said chambers being of a much greater area thanthe inlet d' and outlet e', which connect with the tops thereof andwhich may be provided in the usual way with anges d2 and e2 to attachthe inlet and outlet pipes. The diaphragm or partition b is preferablyformed integrally with the partition c and the side walls a of thecasing a, and is provided with two openings b2 and b3, one for each ofsaid cham bers d and e. These openings are of smaller area than the chambers, but still of greater area than the inlet and outlet openings. Saidopenings b2 and b3 each is surrounded by projecting flanges b4 and b5,extending upwardly into and forming with the side walls a and partitionb gutters d3 and e3 iu the bottom of said chambers d and e and adjacentto said side walls and partition.

The pipes f, attached to the diaphragm b, extend at their upper endsinto the gutters cl2 and e2, above the bottom thereof, so as to retainwater in said gutters, and said pipes extend at their lower ends to thebottom of the chamber g to carry off the Water from said gutters when itreaches the top ends of said pipes. The water-gage g may be of anywellknown form to show the depth of the water in the lower chamber g.This water is trapped off through the pipe g2 in the usual manner. Ahand-hole with the plug g3 is provided in the bottom of the chamber g togive access to same.

The giving up of the moisture of the steam and the tendency of theentrained water to follow the walls of the inclosing parts are largelyassisted by a sudden expansion of the steam. To take advantage of thisand at the same time provide a greater surfaceto gather water, the inletis quickly enlarged into the much greater area of the inlet-chamber, and

the opening in the bottom of said chamber being larger than the inlet,but less than said chamber, the steam again expands into the much largerarea of the lower chamber.

Provision is made to keep the gutters partially iilled with water, forthe reason that it has been found that water so held assists ingathering the entrained water and oil, and water is retained in thebottom of the casing for a like purpose. l

The inner walls of my separator present smooth surfaces, there being noprojections except the gutters, which gather the Water and drain it off,my object being to avoid obstructions that will gather water and drop itback into the steam, thereby increasing its saturation.

The steam entering the inlet-chamber rapidly expands and deposits theseparated as Well as the entrained water into the glitter of saidchamber and then through the opening in the bottom of said chamber againexpands into the greater lower chamber, the

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walls of said lower chamber catching and depositing the water in thebottom thereof, and the bottom of the outlet-chamber being provided witha gutter of like construction with that of the inlet-chamber water thatmay be retained in the steam and deposited on the Walls of said chamberwill be gathered by the retained water in said gutter and carried off.

It will be seen that the construction of the inlet and outlet chambers,with their gutters, is such that either chamber can be used as the inletor outlet. This is sometimes found very desirable, owing to the peculiarsituation in which the separator is to be placed.

Having thus described my invention, I Claimy In a steam-separator thecombination with the outer casing, of a horizontal and a verticalpartition dividing said casing into two upper and one larger lowerchamber, an ope-ning in the upper portion of each of said upperchambers, one forming the inlet and the other the outlet of said casing,said openings being of smaller area than the area 0f said upperchambers, central openings between each of said upper chambers and saidlower chamber, having upturned flanges forming with the side walls ofsaid upper chain bers, gutters extending entirely around said openings,said central openings each being greater than said inlet-opening butless in size than their respective upper chambers and said glittersformed as described, being the only obstruction in said chambers to thefree liow of the steam, drain-pipes extending from a point above thebottom of said gutters so that said gutters will be partially Iilledwith water and Water retained in the bottom of said lower chamber toassist in separating the water and oil from the steam, substantially asspeeied.

In testimonyv whereof I have hereunto set my hand this l45th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1901.

JOHN J. HOPPES.

Witnesses:

CHAs. I. WELCH, EDMOND J. OGDEN.

